The Chevrolet Colorado is the pickup that took over from the S-10 in 2004. Developed jointly by GM North America, GM Brazil and Isuzu on the GMT355 platform, it has been sold alongside the GMC Canyon and is now in its third generation.
Chevrolet Colorado at a glance
| Introduced | 2004, production from October 2003 |
|---|---|
| Class | Compact pickup, mid-size from the second generation |
| Platform | GMT355, basis for the Hummer H3 |
| Replaced | Chevrolet S-10 |
| Twin model | GMC Canyon; Isuzu i-series in North America |
| North American assembly | Shreveport, Louisiana |
| Other markets | Rayong, Thailand |
| First-generation engines | 2.8 L four, 3.5 L five; 2.9 and 3.7 from 2007 |
| Largest engine | 5.3 L V8, 300 hp, from 2009 |
| Cab styles | Regular with 6 ft box, extended with 6 ft box, crew with 5 ft box |
| US peak sales | 163,204 in 2005 |
History of the Chevrolet Colorado
The Colorado and the GMC Canyon were designed together by GM’s North American and Brazilian operations with Isuzu, which had been selling its own version worldwide since 2002. Production began in October 2003 for the 2004 model year, and Isuzu later offered the truck in North America as the i-series. Everything sat on the GMT355 platform, which also underpinned the Hummer H3. Trucks for markets outside North America were built in Rayong, Thailand, while North American examples came from Shreveport, Louisiana. The arrangement echoed the 1970s, when Chevrolet sold the Isuzu Faster as the LUV.
The first-generation Colorado came with a 2.8-litre four as standard and a 3.5-litre five-cylinder in the Z71 package and as an option elsewhere, with manual or automatic gearboxes and rear- or four-wheel drive. Three cab layouts were offered: a two-door regular cab with a six-foot box, a four-door extended cab with the same box, and a four-door crew cab with a shorter five-foot box. Buyers could choose the comfort-oriented Z85 suspension, the Z71 off-road set-up with a locking rear differential and raised ride height, or the lower ZQ8 sport chassis with 17-inch wheels, available only on two-wheel-drive trucks. An Xtreme edition with 18-inch wheels and a body kit continued a package first seen on the S-10.
A facelift for 2007 brought new 2.9-litre four and 3.7-litre five-cylinder engines, new colours and the removal of the Colorado badges from the doors in favour of the GM logo. For 2009 the range gained a 5.3-litre V8 with 300 hp and a further facelift. US sales of the Colorado and Canyon peaked in 2005 at 163,204, almost 35 percent ahead of the Ford Ranger. Later generations moved the truck to mid-size and added the ZR2 and Z71 versions that remain in the range.
Design and features
- Three cab styles: regular, extended and crew, with six- or five-foot boxes.
- Z71 off-road: locking rear differential, heavy-duty shocks and raised ride height.
- ZQ8 and Xtreme: lowered sport versions for two-wheel-drive trucks.
- V8 option: a 5.3-litre engine with 300 hp joined the range in 2009.
Chevrolet Colorado versions
- Base, LS and LT: the three trim levels of the first generation.
- Z71: the off-road package with the five-cylinder engine.
- ZQ8 and Xtreme: the lowered sport and street versions.
- Later generations: the mid-size Colorado and Canyon, with ZR2 and Z71 models.
The Colorado replaced the Chevrolet S-10 and shares its role in the range with the larger Chevrolet Silverado. More trucks are in the Chevrolet collection.
Video: Chevrolet Colorado 2.8 4WD LTZ Z71
Video by ANT bin ICH on YouTube.
Sources
- Chevrolet Colorado, English Wikipedia: development, cab styles, engines, sales
